Montenegro will receive 383,5 million euros as part of the European Union (EU) Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
This was announced by the Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević at a working breakfast with journalists during which the Reform Agenda of Montenegro was presented.
The total value of the Growth Plan is six billion euros, which means that Montenegro will receive 6,38 percent of the funds.
The minister added that of the total amount, 110 million will be in grants, and the rest in favorable loans.
Gorčević said that a payment of 29 million euros is expected by the end of the year, and that it is seven percent of the budget that will be paid at the beginning, and the rest in six half-yearly installments.
"The adoption of the Agenda by EU member states is expected by the end of September," she said.
When asked by a journalist whether the chapters will be closed by the end of the year, Gorčević said that four chapters - 7, 10, 20 and 31 will be closed by the end of 2024.
She stated that a new Intergovernmental Conference with the EU is expected in December.
The minister said that the money will be paid depending on the fulfillment of the reforms, in agreement with the European Commission.
She stated that 32 reform measures are planned and that mechanisms will be established to monitor the implementation of the reform.
Gorčević said that the Reform Agenda is a serious instrument for Montenegro, but also for the other countries of the Western Balkans.
"This is one of the government's key priorities, we got a reform agenda that everyone can envy," she said.
Gorčević pointed out that the Agenda includes four priority sectors that are essential for achieving stable and economic growth.
She said that these sectors are the business environment and the development of the private sector, the digital and economic transition, the development of human capital and the rule of law and fundamental rights.
She assessed that the key challenge will be the efficient implementation of the Agenda.
"The government must sign and ratify the Agreement on Accession to the EU for Reforms and Growth and the Credit Agreement with the EU, pass by-laws that will define the system of coordination and implementation of reform measures and prepare action plans for the implementation of reforms in policy areas," Gorčević said.
Dukaj: We will establish the Agency for Cyber Security and the State Data Center
Minister of Public Administration Maraš Dukaj pointed out that the Reform Agenda is one of the most important documents for joining the EU and that the department he manages has taken important steps in that direction.
He announced the establishment of the Agency for Cyber Security and the State Data Center and said that this is an opportunity for the state to receive very important funds.
Speaking about cyber attacks, he said that the systems will be protected depending on the investment.
When asked by a journalist from "Vijesti" whether the full functionality of the so-called Disaster recovery location in Bijelo Polje, Dukaj replied that the location is functioning, but not at full capacity.
He said that the ministry hopes to withdraw 30 million euros from the Growth Plan, which it will devote to improving cyber security.
Minister of Social Care, Family Care and Demography Damir Gutić said that the key areas that his department will deal with are the activation of beneficiaries of material security, and that when the reform is implemented, more than 60.000 people will more easily secure their rights.
He stated that the methodology includes four levels of support for beneficiaries of material security.
The Minister of Mining, Oil and Gas, Admir Šahmanović, said that with its Green Plan, the EU predicted that Europe would become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, and that Montenegro, as a candidate country, must harmonize its actions with this.
He pointed out that proper transition is the key pillar of the reform.
The Director General of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue, Snezana Drobnjak, clarified that the key reforms for improving employability are related to the activation of beneficiaries of material assistance and the activation of women. As she said, a series of steps will be created to include these two categories in the labor market.
Numerous measures and activities will be carried out by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MPNI) and will go in several directions - practical work, career counseling and the construction of educational infrastructure.
According to the general director for international cooperation, European integration and EU funds in this Ministry, Marko Vukašinović, work will be done on improving the infrastructure in order to reduce the number of shifts in which classes are organized in schools, as well as on increasing the capacity in kindergartens.
The State Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture, Marijeta Barjaktarović Lanzardi emphasized that all activities for science and innovation are based on the implementation of the Smart Specialization S3 concept.
State Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Biljana Ivanović, spoke about a set of measures that will be implemented through three policies - reform of the energy sector, decarbonization and the use of renewable sources of electricity.
These reforms include, among other things, the improvement of legal and strategic documents and policies, as well as a series of measures that will improve the investment environment for the development of renewable sources of electricity and increase energy efficiency.
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